The Royal Family
by LizOfficial
Summary: Katara comes to the Fire Nation for a ball and rekindles a flame with Zuko, Warning: slight Maiko and Kataang .-. i beggith thou to forgive me. Fluff, Lemon, Lime, comedy, friendship, angst i guess. Not AU (yay) Steam and steam babies if you ask nicely 3
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys,, so this is my very first fanfiction ^-^ Please be gentle. THIS IS RATED M DUH, so if you can't handle lemons, limes, fluff, foul language, or any of that, please leave now. Please forgive any grammatical errors, sometimes you just don't catch them.

I see no need for a disclaimer but you know whatever I DON'T OWN THESE BBS BUT IF I DID YOU'D HAVE YOUR OTP.

Chapter One- A letter Sent

It'd been almost a week since he'd sent her the letter via messenger hawk. He figured that if she hadn't gotten it yet she'd have it soon. The thought of seeing her again made his heart flutter. He missed that devilish water tribe girl. He missed their playful banter and their sparring. He missed the smell of her thick hair.

The ball his council had convinced him to throw to make contacts with the nobility of other nations obviously required the Southern Water tribe's aristocracy, though Katara made a point to say that they didn't think of themselves as superior to their subjects.

Zuko looked out the window and stared down at the pond in the ornate garden that had been planted long before he'd even been born. He remembered how when he had just been crowned Fire Lord he could often time look out and see the feisty girl practicing her bending. It had been nearly a year since he saw her last, and nearly two since the end of the war. He smiled inwardly thinking about seeing her again. His mind stalled as he began to think about how much she'd have changed. How beautiful she'd become in the last year. How much she'd matured. He wondered what she'd look like through the years as she aged. She would do it as gracefully as she did everything. The last time he saw her she hadn't changed much. Her hips had widened, her breasts enlarged, her hair longer. She was a little taller, too.

His thoughts began to drift towards the rest of the Gaang, a rare but not unaccepted occurrence. He knew Sokka had proposed to Suki in the last year, he wondered when and where the wedding would be. He assumed they'd get married on Kyoshi Island since they'd be living in the Southern Water Tribe. On the subject of marriage he thought about Aang. Obviously the boy wanted Katara, they'd even kissed after the war and technically they'd been together since then, but when she was staying with him to rep for the trade between the nations she hardly mentioned him, saying only "Oh, he's doing swell," when people asked how he was. Apparently he was travelling a lot, helping rebuild the nomadic temples and a few Earth Kingdom villages. Zuko began to think about Toph, had she found any one yet? She had gone back to live with her parents, and if he knew Earth Kingdom nobles she'd suffered through a hundred prospectors. Toph's family had already RSVP'd for the ball, all he needed now was Katara and Sokka's answer along with Aang and a few dozen other diplomats before the ball next month.

LOL THAT WAS BAD MY BAD. No, I seriously hope you guys like it, its super really awkward to start a fanfic .-. please forgive, it'll get better I promise :3 I'll try to upload biweekly, but I have to work and stuff so please forgive me if you have to go without, I promise I'll make up for it some how :3


	2. Chapter 2

Aw hey guys,,, I'm sorry the last chapter was sooo short :'c but I'll try to make this one longer :3) 3 IMMA DRAG THIS OUT SO BARE WITH ME KAY? XD

Chapter 2: A Letter Received

Katara was walking back to her hut when Abez, a young solider with midnight blue eyes caught up to her. Abez had been making quite a few plays for her since Aang had left for the Western Air Temple for reparations.

"Hi Katara," He said, smiling.

"Hello Abez." Katara gave him a sideways glance when he stopped walking. She continue on for a few steps but noticed that he hadn't followed and stopped moving, turning back to face him.

"How have you been, Katara?" He rubbed the palms of his hands down the front of his white fur coat.

"I'm well. How're you?"

Abez swallowed which was followed by a dramatic nod, "I've been good, um, thanks for healing my mom. She's much better; it's just a slight cough now."

"That's good. I heard Padama was pregnant, have you talked to Kitan?" Katara crossed her arms lightly across her chest to warm her chilled fingers.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, they had their first check up with Kayna yesterday. She said the baby was healthy and all, but um, I was wondering what you're doing later today?" He took a few steps closer to her.

"I don't-"her sentence was cut off by the familiar voice of Katara's friend Liera.

"Hey Kat, you and your family have a message." Liera began to walk towards her, shuffling in her boots through the thick snow.

"Okay, hold on Abez, let me take this to Sokka and I'll talk to you, wait here if you'd like, or you can find me again." Katara took the duel scrolls from Liera and thanked her before making her way back to the hut where her brother lived with his fiancée. It was just beside the one that she and her father shared. The two houses were basically connected at the hip.

"Sokka?" the brunette water bending master announced that she was there from the other side of a polar bear-dog pelt.

"Katara? Come in," she heard Sokka's masculine voice say.

Katara pushed the pelt aside and walked in. On the inside the family room reflected a faint orange light by way of the fire crackling in the fire pit in the center of the room. Suki was stirring a pot of some kind of wonderful smelling soup atop the wood burning stove that sat against a pelt-covered wall.

The icy floors were covered in leather hides. A small bench built out of wood, animal bones, leather hides, and fur pelts sat near the fire pit, closest to the door. In between the stove and the fire pit, against the other wall was where they slept. A thick pile of animal fur and hides provided a comfortable and warm bed.

Suki had confided in Katara once that it was a strange way to live, but it wasn't awful and she didn't miss her Kyoshi Island home with the excessive amount of rooms. She understood that the huts they lived in would be uncomfortable if it had more than the family room and the bathroom if there are no more than two people in the house. Of course, they always build on to the house when more there are more than two, but that doesn't happen until the child is older than seven, and sometimes doesn't happen at all unless there's more than one to conserve space. The way they built on rooms was by basically putting a small tent connecting to another hut, only this hut didn't have a stove, plus it was smaller. When families had more than four children, the children's hut had another room connected to it, just as done before. But people in the water tribes tried not to have more than four children since times were hard enough as it was.

"Hi Suki," Katara said her friend and future sister in law's name kindly.

"Hey Kat," She turned and gave Katara a quick hug before returning her attention back on supper.

"Where's Sokka?" asked the water bender.

"Bathroom. So what's up, I heard Abez has been chatting you up all week long." Suki winked at her friend.

"Yeah he has, I was just talking to him when I got these," Katara held up the scrolls.

"What are they? Have you opened them yet?"

"I have no idea, it was addressed to our family, I'd wait for father to finish his meeting but I'm really, _really_, curious. It has the Fire Lord's insignia on the ends." She fingered the emblem representing Zuko.

"Ooh, Zuko sent you a letter?" Suki said teasingly.

"Us Suki, geez, I wish you would lay off that," Katara laughed and rolled her eyes. "He is so not into me."

Suki scooped up some of the soup with her wooden spoon, "Whatever you say Katara, but I _know_ he likes you. So does Toph. Even Sokka gets a little anxious whenever the two of you are together." As if on cue, just as Suki said Sokka's name he emerged from the bathroom.

He walked over and kissed Suki's cheek. In return she held the soup-carrying spoon up to Sokka's mouth, "Here, taste, is this good for the feast tonight?"

Like most small tribes they ate together. If they could, each member of the tribe would make an item and they would bring it to the feast, that way no one went without and you could socialize.

Sokka slurped the soup, "Mmm, delicious. I swear you get better and better at cooking every time you make something."

"Yeah and you get better at eating," Suki said with a small smile, her accusation arousing a small laugh from the siblings.

"Oh haha," Sokka nuzzled his fiancée's neck. "So whatcha here for KitKat?"

"Her _boyfriend _sent her a letter," Suki answered for her, a friendly amount of satire in her voice.

"Oh, Aang sent you a letter?"

"NO! For one, Aang isn't my boyfriend, and two: the letter is from the Fire Lord." Katara rolled her eyes and held the scroll up Sokka.

Sokka broke away from Suki, taking the letter into hand. "Hm, wonder what Zuko wants," he mumbled, his mind racing all over the place, trying to figure out why Suki had called Zuko his sister's boyfriend.

"I don't know, let's find out." Katara watched as Sokka broke the wax seal on the parchment and unrolled the scroll. His eyes scanned the paper, taking in the details of the letter. Then, when he was done, he rolled it back up and stuck it in his belt.

"He wants to know if the diplomats would come up to the palace for a party or something. It's next month, but none of us have anything else to do, I don't know if dad can or not, but we can go to the palace early."

"Yeah. I helped organize his schedule; dad will be busy until about a week before the ball. But… I'd like to go early. I'm gonna go… pack."

"Ooh, someone's excited" Suki joked. "Okay, bye."

Katara left quickly, the tiniest of smiles dancing on her full lips.

As soon as she was outside she saw Abez kicking at some loose snow with the toe of his boot. "Oh, hey Katara, so what are you doing tonight?"

"I am sorry Abez; I'm packing for the fire nation. We're leaving for the palace soon," _To see Zuko, _she thought.

OKI DOKILOKI what'd you guys think? I tried to lengthen it up, but I wanna get to the goodygoody. Don't hate me, I'll update as soon as I get a **good **third chappy going ;)did you guys like the itty bitty sokkaxsuki moment (are they like 'sukka' or something? Idk,, that sounds ghetto xD)


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews you guys! I'm kind of proud I got through the last two chapters :3 please please review and tell me how im doing ^-^ This ones short, it's just a little conversation between Suki and Katara, but you can't get angry, I decided to upload a whole extra chappy for you guys *wink wink*

Chapter 3: That Gal Suki

After talking to their father, Sokka and Katara sent out two letters: one to Zuko telling them of their impending arrival, and another to Aang relaying a condensed (and not so formal) version of Zuko's invitation, they readied a ship and set sail for the fire nation – as Aang was in the West they couldn't very well _fly _due to the fact that Appa went everywhere with Aang. They figured that the messenger hawk would arrive at the palace before them because they had to venture the waters on a small Southern Water Tribe ship, but if it didn't they'd be a welcome surprise, they were sure.

A smile hadn't left Katara's face since she received the letter. Now she was standing near the railings on the boat, watching as the ice chunks passed them bye. She could see a fish flick by every once in a bit and the water bent around the pointed tip of the ship.

From the corner of her cerulean eyes she saw two pale hands join hers on the rails.

"What're you smiling about?" Suki asked, nudging her future sister in law.

Katara bit her lip, trying to hide her smile, "Hm? Oh, nothing."

Suki laughed, knowing exactly why Katara was smiling.

"You know Suki, Zuko _isn't always _my reason for smiling." Katara let go of the rails and turned around.

"Yeah, I know, not _always_," Suki laughed. "When will you admit that you love him? At least that you like him a _little?"_

Katara let out a frustrated sigh, "Okay, okay, I admit I have feelings for him. Even if they're small and meaningless, they're there. But they don't matter, now do they? Him and Mai are together, and the council probably wants the two to marry. I'm going to be forced to move on, so why not make it so that I'm the only one bothered?"

"Katara if Zuko marries Mai _he_ will be suffering. Can't you tell that he'd give her up for you in a heartbeat? He'd give anybody up for you. He would die for you." Katara gave her a doubtful look. "He proved that on the day of the comet, did he not?"

"Well yeah, that he cares about me, but he chose Mai. You were there. They were all over each other."

"Kat, just believe me, he cares about you far more than you think."

"Well, what about Aang?" Sorrow hung like a storm cloud in Katara's beautiful eyes.

"What about him? You were the first girl – the first human being – that he saw when he came out of that iceberg. He has a childish crush, and if he can't give you up to make you happy then he really doesn't deserve you. I mean, he's the avatar, but he's childish and annoying. He's not ready for love – not yet. He's only fifteen, he just had puberty."

"Oh, Suki, I guess you're right. But I don't want to break his heart just to take a chance with someone who may turn me down," her voice broke on the last word.

"Why would he do that – he's crazy about you."

"Because he's the fire lord. He has a duty to a nation of people who have, for the last one hundred years, hated everyone outside of that nation."

"Oh please – there was just a war, if there's any time for the fire nation to accept a beautiful foreign queen its now." Suki's hands flailed in the air a bit. "Zuko stands for change, it's time that nation got the stick out of it's ass."

"That country is obsessed with honor. Tainting a longstanding royal bloodline usually ends in disaster," She ran her finger along the base of her long, tanned neck.

"HONOR EXACTLY. They just lost the one hundred year war, they're going to want a band aid. Something to repair that broken honor, you know, like an adorable love story?" Suki took a dramatic stance and held her hands up like she was headlining: "'Zuko, new Fire Lord of damaged nation, marries Katara, the beautiful princess of the southern water tribe, once broken by the war,' or something."

Katara couldn't help but laugh. "That sounds ridiculous."

"Oh, honey love stories are ridiculous. But they're _love stories_, people love those. Besides, it'd be like joinging the three great nations under holy matrimony. Then we just need Azula to marry a northerner," she joked.

"Yeah, and then Ozai can marry an Earthbender." Katara scoffed.

For some reason this caused Suki to bust out into hysterics to the point that she was rolling around on the deck and one of the crew members looked at her oddly. Another asked if she was okay.

The next few days on the ship was spent doing girlie things. Needless to say, by the time they docked in the Fire Nation's capital ports with Zuko and a small army of guards we're waiting to greet them.

So it turned out to be not as short as I thought XD what'd you think. I was watching Dick Van Dyke while I wrote it and I realize that Suki's kind of like an AU Millie and Katara's like Laura… would that make Zuko Rob? ;) lul

Leave me a good, honest, tasty review. And I don't like fillet mignon so please no flames.


	4. Chapter 4

Soooo, its official! I'm going to the NC Charlotte Ichiban as Katara 3 I have a possible Zuko, but if you're going too you should message me on my tumblr lizofficialposts :3 BE MY MAN! Lol, but here's some silent Zutara for you *wink wink*

Chapter 4: A whole Carriage full of Awkward

As expected, the messenger hawk had indeed arrived before they did, and the handsome Fire Lord was waiting, a small guard accompanying him.

There was a crowd of people watching their king greet his guests. The first he greeted was Sokka, whom he gave a firm, manly handshake. He gave Suki a small hug and she whispered something in his ear before she turned and winked at Katara.

Katara eyed her suspiciously when she walked towards Zuko. She wasn't expecting much more than Suki got, but he pulled her in for a tight, close hug that lasted a few seconds longer than she thought it would be.

"I've missed you," Zuko said in to her hair which smelled just as sweet as it always did.

"I missed you too," She replied, pulling out of the hug enough to look into his eyes.

They both heard the faint sound of people awing in the background and Zuko cleared his throat, releasing Katara. Sokka was talking to one of the guards and hadn't noticed Zuko's familiar hug, but Suki, and about of one thousand subjects, had seen it clear as day.

The group gathered themselves into a carriage to be escorted safely back to the castle. The handful of guards that had chaperoned the trip from the Southern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation joined Zuko's sentries around the carriage and they we're ushered back to the palace.

Sokka squeezed in next to Suki, pushing Katara over to Zuko's side. Her heart skipped a beat each time his hand touched her knee or their shoulders touched.

_I used to not feel like this around him. I used to be okay to be near him, back when I hadn't been forced to acknowledge my feelings. _Katara thought and gave Suki a mostly friendly evil eye, though she didn't notice. Katara wondered if Zuko felt this nervous.

Every once in a while Katara would catch Zuko giving her a fleeting glance. But it didn't go unnoticed by her brother this time. She saw Sokka give Suki a questioning look, but Suki just shrugged and he let it go. Hopefully.

"You're hair has grown," Zuko stated, looking down at the lovely girls luscious brown waves.

She immediately grabbed a lock of the hair and began twirling it around her long fingers. It had indeed grown quite a lot since he last saw her, mainly because of the baby boom that came with the end of any war; she didn't have quite enough personal time to endeavor on time consuming things like haircuts when she had to divide her time between helping ladies birth, teaching up and coming waterbenders how to bend, and practicing, learning and developing new techniques.

"Yeah, so has yours." Zuko's hair was no longer shaggy like it used to, she suspected that it had grown enough to not require hair glue to keep bits and pieces from falling out of its topknot. She was actually kind of curious as to how it looked down.

Looking at his face, she also noticed that his scar had faded. Actually, it had faded quite considerably since they first met in the water tribe when he bombarded her home in search of the avatar. She knew it would never be gone and it would always be there, but in the six years that he'd had it, it had healed remarkably. He was even more handsome with the slight aging. He'd matured and his already gorgeous jaw structure was stronger, his shoulders a bit broader, and he was even more toned then he was before, which was saying something. But he wasn't toned in a beefy way, he was lean, which was a given since he'd added about four inches in the past three years.

But throughout all that change he was still that awkward, clumsy boy that had tried to kill them for half a year.

Suddenly those golden eyes met hers and he smiled and Katara felt her cheeks heat up from being caught in the act of staring. He laughed causing Sokka to look over at the silent pair once again.

"What is up with you two?" Sokka threw his arms in the air and Suki busted out laughing. "And what's wrong with you? How come every time I say the names 'Katara' and 'Zuko' you lose your mind? I can't help but feel like there's something being kept from me, and I don't like being ignored, you guys, please tell me what's going on?"

Suki held up her hands, "Hey, it's those two, not me, so keep me out of it."

Both Katara and Zuko gave her a dirty look. "I wouldn't be acting like this if it weren't for you, Sister Dearest."

Suki shrugged and let out a hardy laugh "Yeah, you're right. It is my fault. Alright, you can keep me in this."

Before Sokka said anything else the carriage came to a jostling stop, causing Katara to fall into Suki.

"You're highness, we've arrived at the palace," said a guard as he opened the gold embossed door.

Thank you for sticking with me again c': please leave a review! Did you guys like it? How soon do you want a lemon *wink* sorry it was short, I do sequences otherwise I get kind of lost whilst im writing, but look A FOURTH CHAPTER YOU GUYS WOW THIS IS LIKE A CHAPPY A DAY :'D


	5. Chapter 5

Woot woot, chappy five already? Lol I had originally decided to do 2 a week, but I got really in to this sooo…. Yeah. Well Thank you **PearLynn** for the Review,,, no lemons for you yet,, though there is a little, dare I say it?, maiko in this. :'( bear with me because there is also some Zutara teehee 3

Chapter 5: The Importance of The Filter

Fire Lord Zuko told his guards that he would show his guests to their suites himself. The palace hadn't changed much since they were last there; the only difference was that there was a flag hanging in the halls for every nation, not just the Fire Nation. There was also a new family portrait hanging where one of him and his family once hung. The portrait no longer contained Azula or Ozai, but instead Katara, Suki, Sokka, and Aang. The ghostly image of Ursa could be seen faintly behind Zuko. There was even a small painting inside of the painting of Appa with Momo perched on the bison's head.

"Sokka, Suki, this is your room," he pointed to the oak door that loomed regally over them. The couple stood there for a moment, as if not sure what to do next, "unless you want separate rooms?"

Suddenly Sokka awkwardly kicked the doors in and the maid carrying the two bags the neither of them could add to the pile they were toting followed them in to their appointed suite. "That's what I thought," Zuko said and heard the pair laugh from behind the closing doors.

Katara and her carry-on maid (**a.n: that sounds weird… can you imagine Katara getting on a plane with a tiny chibi Fire Nation maid? AW. No, she's just the maid carrying her extra stuff xD) **followed the fire lord as he continued down the hall for a while before stopping in front of a set of double doors identical to all the other ones on the hall.

Zuko opened the doors for Katara and the maid. The maid scuttled in first, but Zuko stopped Katara from going in, letting the door close before she could get through.

He stepped close to her. He was nearly a foot taller and her nose was very close to his chest. He bent down until she barely had to glance up to meet his amber eyes, but that put them so much closer.

"I've really missed you, Katara, how have you been?" Zuko's voice was quiet, hushed to a whisper.

Katara swallowed, she wondered if he could hear her heart beating. "I've been good, very busy though, with the pregnancy at all." Words were coming out far too fast, faster than she could filter.

"Pregnancy? Katara…?"

"What? NO! Not mine, it's the post war baby boom. Every married couple is going at it like rabbits, actually, this guy who wants me to marry him has a sister who just found out she is expecting."

"Oh, marriage." Katara had let her tongue slip again. That was not a subject she'd wanted to bring up to him.

"No, it's nothing." Quickly she thought, "Hey, do you want to spar?"

Zuko's face changed. A smile spread on his face, "Aren't you tired?"

"Well no, not really. I've been stuck on a Water Tribe boat for the past four days, plenty to practice with, and nowhere to exercise. Plus moving and feeling waves isn't the same as an actual fight, and Suki and Sokka aren't as threatening to me as you are." She stepped closer to him, hands on her hip and her chest puffed out like she was challenging him to a bar fight.

Zuko thought she was awfully cute like this. He stared down at her smirking, and then suddenly his lips were her to close to her face for her breathing to be normal. "Challenge accepted." He said before walking to the room that was _literally right in front of hers _to change.

Katara entered her room right after his door closed.

Zuko began to undress hurriedly, pulling off his crown and taking down his topknot, yanking off his imperial robes and letting them fall helplessly to the floor. His simple burgundy tunic has sweat spots due to both the summer heat and his heavy garments. He had almost pulled his pants off when he heard a knock on the door, forcing him to pull the thin black raiment back over his muscled calves and thighs.

He opened the door, hoping it was Katara. But instead he was greeted by Mai who hastily pushed him back into the room, lips clashing together. The door closed by itself with a thud and Mai was guiding Zuko around the room to find the bed. The found it and Mai shoved the young fire lord back on to the bed, climbing up after him and straddled him.

But he wasn't ready to receive. He had other things on his mind. Other women. On top of that, he wasn't as attracted to Mai as he had before he was banished. Her bony figure and placid face just didn't compare. And again, he had somewhere to be.

Mai raised an eyebrow and stared down at her boyfriend with those creepy empty eyes. "I was about to go somewhere Mai, I need to finish and get dressed. I don't have time for this."

"You mean you don't have time for me?" She hopped off of Zuko's lap.

He looked at her, "No, Mai, that's not what I mean, it's just I've already made arrangements to be somewhere."

"Zuko, we've only done it like five times since the war ended." Mai stepped forward, "Those five times were the only times we've really done _anything_ since then. You have to make time for me, I'm your girlfriend. And I get it, really I do, please don't think I'm some irrational girl but: _I'm an irrational girl. _I know your country is important to you, and I know that there's a lot you need to do, but you have to put some time aside for me. The country that you love thinks we're going to get married and birth a bunch of heirs. But we never go out or date. Zuko, as a girl and no more than a governor's daughter, I have no duty to my country except to be a loyal subject to you, and I will always be your subject, and I will always be loyal to you, but I will not be your wife. You don't love me. Not like you love her."

Mai crossed her arms under her small breasts.

Zuko sighed, "You're right, and I'm sorry, I don't love you, not like I love K- wait, what?" He caught himself before he professed his love for Katara to someone else other than Suki who had cleverly weaned it from him by way of observation.

Mai let out a hurt sob; she knew he loved someone else. He always had, it had been bugging him since he came back after his run in with the Avatar in the catacombs and Aang had been presumed dead. She didn't know who it was though, she was to overwhelmed to get anything out of the miserable sentence he'd said to her other than "you're right, I don't love you." She knew he hadn't said much more than that, which just made the hurt worse.

She let the door slam when she left. _'I guess we broke up' _Zuko thought, kind of confused. Confused, but not hurt. Confused, but not fazed. He looked down at his bare, scarred chest, _'And I'm still not dressed. Shit.'_

He quickly got dressed, pulling on red, calf length pants and a thin gold shirt. He didn't bother with shoes, he was going to be outside anyways.

Katara wasn't done getting ready when Zuko knocked, he thought he'd been in his room forever, but he could hear her shuffling quickly around in there as if she hadn't even started yet.

OMG ANOTHER CHAPTER DAMN SLOW DOWN

Lolno

I will write

And I will write lots.

This is going to have lots of chapters since like every freaking event has its own little guy so bear with me. But theyre not that long, are they? :3

REVIEW MY LOVE BIRDS


	6. Chapter 6

As Eminem once said "I'm back with a brand new rap" but I guess for me it'd be "chap" HEHEIHAVEJOKES Okay anyways, READ

Chapter 6: Every story needs a Fight Scene, too bad I suck at writing them.

As soon as they were at the sparring arena, which rested nearly a mile away from the castle, and Katara was within a trustworthy proximity to the river that ran just behind the empty, stone floored field, she was fighting.

Of course Zuko counteracted. They we're great fighting partners, but sparring with open flame and weapons of ice was dangerous, but the thing about the two clashing was that no one could really land a blow. If Katara got water near Zuko, his flame evaporated her water, and vice versa.

At one point they'd almost come to blows. But still, they were too good for each other. Zuko would lash out and his fist would make contact with the air and Katara would do a complicated kick and she would just barely miss his ribcage.

They depended on each other to be at the top of each other's game. They we're the perfect hunt for each other. If they ever sparred for the prying eye of the public, no doubt the whole thing would be a disaster. The only upside to both of them being top notch fighters both with and without bending was that Katara could heal their ailments.

It was funny though, because six – almost seven years ago – Katara could barely bend and her fighting was wretched. But Zuko and Sokka taught her how to fight, and now she was close to being better than either of them, and it was well established that Katara was the best waterbender around.

But then Zuko made a fatal mistake – he stood, out of breath and very unsuspecting, over a square water drain. Suddenly she flashed back to the fight with Azula and the one that Katara and Zuko had had in the North Pole and she trapped him in a ball of ice.

Zuko reacted immediately, heating up his body and all of the ice around him to the highest temperature he could withstand comfortably (it wasn't like she was going to kill him, no need to boil the prison) . Katara sauntered over, this ferocious, almost sexy, look in her eyes. She got up in Zuko's face and winked.

"I win," and then she started to laugh.

"Hey, Katara, come here," he couldn't help it. She was so beautiful when she celebrated her superiority; she was so beautiful when she got competitive. _Fuck, _she was so beautiful all the time. She could be bawling her eyes out and he would still think she was the most beautiful thing in the world. Of course, puffy eyes and red nose was a different type of beauty than a white negligee with no underwear. He'd never seen her like that, but he'd imagined it.

Katara climbed up so that they were eye to eye. She had a cute twinkle in her eyes when she hummed a "Hmm?"

"Closer," he said, allowing himself to let go and not care what happened.

Katara was still high with the adrenaline that the intensity of a sparring with Zuko brought. Her mind wasn't registering what was happening, but she listened and leaned in. "Yes?"

By this time his hands were free, but she hadn't noticed.

Zuko leaned the rest of the way in, moving slowly and allowing her to register his actions. He couldn't tell if she had or not until his lips brushed hers. It was small, a tiny touch of Zuko's almost-thin-but-in-a-handsome-way lips to Katara's full ones. She leaned back and looked him in the eyes, unsure if they were going to continue or not. She saw that he was looking at her with the same amount of uncertainty that she leaned back in and they're lips met again, only this time they were both a little more confident.

Katara readily released Zuko from his icy pen, but he wasn't expecting it and fell with the water. His arms had been wrapped around Katara's waist at the time, and inevitably she went down with him. She landed on top of him in an awkward and not very sexual position, one arm was bent underneath of the king, the other was holding her up, her hand steadying her beside his head. Both of her legs were bent so that she was leaning over him on her kneecaps between his legs.

Zuko sat up too fast and head-butted the beautiful caramel skinned girl. They rolled in opposite directions, holding their foreheads.

"Wow Zuko, well done," Katara groaned.

He just let out a pathetic "sorry" before rolling over to look at her. His breath hitched. This was her in her most natural state. She was staring up at the sky, eyes filled with thought. Her well-endowed chest rising with each breath beneath her soaked blue tunic. One arm rested over her flat stomach, the other was splayed across the stones set in the ground.

It was so close; he instinctively reached out and began to trace her palm. She glanced over at him with a small smile on her lips. Her azure orbs stared kindly into Zuko's golden ones. Zuko's eyes moved down to watch himself as he moved the tips of his fingers softly over her hands.

"You're so beautiful Katara. Everything about you. You're so kind and wonderful and strong. You're going to make a wonderful mother and you'd be a great queen." He was just talking, not really noticing that he was saying these things out loud.

"Yeah, I can see it now, Katara the Great." She laughed softly and looked back up at the sky. The transition from Zuko to the Fire Nation skies that were becoming dark with thick wisps of rain clouds was only momentary. Almost as mean as she looked over she turned onto her side, the hand that had just been resting across her stomach now reached across her body to repose cleverly beneath her thick curls. "You know, you're my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." _And I love you. _Her eyes flicked up to the darkening skies as a few heavy drops of warm rain smacked the yellowed brick ground, "But we should go before we get drenched." She hoisted her body up and then helped up the fire lord.

He grabbed her hand; they were going to try to outrun the worst of the storm. And what's better than running through the rain with someone you love? Yanking them along with them.

The sky gave them no head start though, they had hardly stood straight when the sky fell out.

By the time they got back to the palace their hair was in matted, wet dreadlock looking things that stuck to their skin and clothes awkwardly and their clothed clung to their bodies just as awkwardly. A small group of servants was waiting to dry the pair off, and Suki and Sokka were standing in the background. Sokka was pacing back and forth while Suki watched him like he was the dumbest little bundle of love she'd ever seen.

Sokka noticed them walk in and stopped pacing.

"Oh thank the spirits, I thought you died out there."

"Sokka, we're fine. Fire Nation storms aren't as dangerous as ones in the water tribes, you should know that by now."

Her brother waved his hand in the air dismissively, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm your older brother I HAVE to worry about you. It's instinctive."

She chuckled, "Yeah, I guess." A maid offered Katara and Zuko towels so that they could dry off. "Hey Suki, come with me while I dry off." Katara began to walk to her room, waving her hand for Suki to follow.

Sooooo, what'd you think? :D I feel proud of this one, so please tell me how I did 3 ^-^ review love bugs,, I love you 3


	7. Chapter 7

Yo yo yo yo, so I've got a new chappy for you ^-^ How'd you like the last one? Hehe, well here's a new one, it might be a little short so sorry about that! Hope you like it 3

Chapter 7

Katara locked the door behind her, allowing Suki to enter the Fire Nation palace's guest bedroom.

"Sooooo" Suki dragged the word out, leaning on the blue silk bed sheets."

"So, did you notice the fact that my room is right in front of his?" Katara felt like a twelve year old. She was giddy and everything that happened between the two of them weighed heavier on her mind then it had before. She didn't feel like the mature twenty year old that she was, she felt like a child. Reading the signs.

"Yeah, but that's not what I want to know about. You guys were out there, alone. And you're a waterbender Katara, you can tell when it's going to rain." Suki wiggled her shapely brown eyebrows and winked at her pretty friend.

"Well, nothing happened." Katara shrugged, thinking about Zuko's kiss. "Except…" Her cheeks darkened.

"Except what?" Suki stared at Katara.

"I kicked his ass."

"And? I know that's not it."

"Yeah. He kissed me."

Suki choked. "He kiss.. kiss.. kissed you?" She had somehow developed a stutter.

"Yes, haha, just a little one."

"And then what?"

"We laid down. And talked. And I called him my best friend."

"You…" She coughed, "You basically just friendzoned him." The brunette fighter started to have a fit. She was practically rolling in the floor, shaking with laughter.

"Suki, stop it. I know, I know, I'm stupid. But things just come out you know. It just happens. And then suddenly it's too late. It happened. I don't know. When do you think dinner will be ready, I need to take a bath and change."

"Like seven. It'll be fine, Kat. He loves you, and that isn't going to change because of a slip of your tongue. You take a bath, I'll go find your brother." Suki laughed again and then left.

When Suki closed the door behind her Katara began to strip down, peeling off her wet sparring uniform and letting the black pieces of clothing fall to the wooden floors. Even her bindings were soaked and see through.

She had begun to unravel the pieces of fabric when her door flew open.

It was Zuko, "Katara, dinner will be ready at…" He stopped talking, noticing Katara's state of shock. "Oh. I'm sorry. Katara, I- I" he was scrambling to find the words and was quickly moving to cover his ocher eyes.

Katara was panicking just as much as she was, her long dark arms twisting to cover her exposed breasts and get her top.

Zuko had finally composed himself enough to close the door. He leaned against the dark wood, thinking about what just happened.

Wot 500 words that is a short chappy xD Well, I was having writers block so I struggled. Sorry this is a suckish chappy. I couldn't even think of a title for this X)

Any requests for a new fanfic you want me to do? (this one isn't over, but feel free to message me. I can multitask. My best is Zutara, Fiolee, and Byakuya, but I'll try anything for you guys.) I'll update when I get 5 more reviews :'D Ermmmm,,, have any of you seen the Di Gata Defenders? It's a Canadian cartoon that ISNT AVAILABLE IN CANADA WTF? And I love it even though its kind of weird, idfk why I like it XD any books I need to read or shows I need to watch? I've been kind of bored lately o:

Check out my blog! Lizofficialposts. tumblr. Com (no space duh,, I follow back fandom blogs, especially Zutara 3)


	8. Chapter 8

Wotwotwot, so my writers block has finally cleared up and I decided to write a new chappie for you guys. Another reason it has taken so long: I recently fell in love with Natoki (blackfrost.) and I've been so caught up reading Natoki and Byaruki fanfics that I haven't had time to write any. Well anyways, follow my accounts if you want to get in touch with me! 3

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Chapter 8: Katara's maid

Zuko's mind was being overthrown by thoughts of Katara's naked figure. He'd thought about it before, but he'd never seen it. He'd never seen the perfect girl – woman now – in the nude. She was beautiful, her caramel skin revealed to him, her breasts full and perky up to the points of her dusty nipples.

She'd been quick to cover herself but the magnificent image was burned into his brain. He now knew what it was like to kiss her, and that coupled with the thought of her naked form was going to lead up to a very eventful night, and an awkward dinner.

He finished pulling his dark locks in to his top knot and pinned his crown in. Today that was the only piece of his formal Fire Lord attire that he would be adorning. He would also be meeting his friends in his private dining room today instead of in the gigantic dining room filled with a table large enough to seat one hundred guests.

Zuko adjusted the silk black shaw like jacket that hung loosely over his thin red tunic. He stretched his arms, loosening his muscles before contracting them so that he stood straight-backed. He let out a breath before leaving his room.

The maid that had been appointed to Katara was standing by her door, waiting for her to finish getting ready so that she could show her to her room, bowed respectively to the king. It was a deep bow, she was practically on the ground. The people of his country rarely bowed so deeply in such a casual atmosphere.

He knew it was because the girl, her name Lina, was grateful to him. She had been working on the streets, selling her body to feed her three young children. When Zuko had first came back to the Fire Nation she had offered herself to him, and he had taken pity on her. He had come into contact with prostitutes before, but she stuck out for some reason. She was young, too young to have three children, and she was obviously scared of men, regardless of what she had to do to them.

Before giving Kita employment Zuko had asked her why she flinched every time a man moved in her direction. She had nervously told him her story. She had been raped by her stepfather when she was eleven shortly after her mother passed away. Upon hearing that she was pregnant the man forced the child to marry him. Her stepfather turned husband fell ill after the birth of their second child he fell ill and could no longer work. There isn't many jobs a thirteen year old girl can do, and after a while a man named Kaiji offered her work in his wife's brothel. She was working there when she became pregnant with her third child. Her husband, in a fit of rage because she had been impregnated by another man, beat her within an inch of her life, killing the baby. Kaiji and his wife Ai took Kita and her two children away from the man to fend for himself. "Probably the kindest anyone had ever been to me," Kita had said. Ai had been like a mother to Kita and she took very good care of her children. Then Kita became pregnant again, a little over a year after Ai took her in. One of Ai's other brothel girls told Ai that she had seen Kita having sex with Kaiji and that was how Kita had become pregnant. Ai became furious and forced Kita to leave her brothel.  
Ai wasn't an evil woman and allowed Kita to take the money she had earned which was just enough for Kita to purchase a small room behind a small tea shop. Even though the owner of the tea shop owner allowed Kita to live behind the shop he did not want a woman of ill repute working in his room. He had only allowed the young girl to live there because he took pity on the children. She was desperate and once again had to work the streets. That was when she had offered herself to the once banished Fire Nation prince.

Six months later Zuko was in town with Mai and he saw the woman again, fighting off a man in a back alley. Zuko had his guards arrest the man on the spot and he gave the woman a job in the palace.

His show of kindness to the prostitute and her children was to give them a home in the palace. This pleased the commoners and pissed off quite a few nobles. Yes, how dare he allow a dirty whore into his palace.

He dipped his head towards the maid, "Good evening, Kita." He smiled at her before walking away.

WEWT! How did you like that lil chappie? Hehe, I like it :3 I had a bit of fun writing it too! :'D

I've begun writing a Natoki fic so I may take a bit to update, but don't fret my bbs. If you have any requests don't hesitate to ask! Leave me some reviews my little love bunnies ;)


	9. Chapter 9

Hey guys :3 So I got up two chaps from my new Natoki fanfic ;) if you like them, you should go check them out! Anywhoo~ I've had fun writing this fic so hopefully you guys have been enjoying it ^^ I'd love to hear from you. Please leave a review! And feel free to get up with me on any of my networks!

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Thanks! 3

NOW ON WTH THE FIC!

Chapter 9: Katara's Maid Pt. 2

Katara looked at herself in the mirror. She had pulled her hair up in a loose bun which showed of the long expanse of her dark neck. She was wearing a Fire nation style black dress with hand painted fire lilies around the edge. Over that she wore a short red jacket that ended just below her bust. It was a lovely gown that hugged her small waist and came out in a soft flare around her hips and down to her feet, on which she wore black slippers. She had to admit – she looked lovely in Fire Nation attire. She wondered what Zuko would think.

The thought of Zuko made her face heat up. He'd seen her naked. Katara wasn't a virgin, but the thought of Zuko seeing her naked made her heart flutter and her chest become tight. She felt so embarrassed that he'd seen her like that. They'd kissed after their sparring match. What did that mean? Did Zuko like her? Had Suki been right?

She pushed the thoughts away. That wasn't important. Katara pinned her chocolate locks up with a ruby encrusted barrette. She smiled at herself and left the room. Kita, the maid, was waiting by her door to escort her to the dining room.

Katara looked down at Kita. She was petty, not much older than Katara herself. She wore a black dress that was different than the usual Fire Nation attire. She had slightly downturned eyes and a rounder nose then most Fire Nation women and their thin, pointed features, but they fit all of her well. Kita was short but not stocky. She carried herself awkwardly; Katara recognized it as the weak, scared stature that someone who had taken many beatings would have. She walked straight-backed in the style of all of the maids and servants, but her shoulders were turned inwardly. She was frightened as if she expected that in any moment someone would hit her.

The waterbender couldn't read people like Zuko, but she wasn't stupid, and during her travels both during and after the war Katara had encountered many people like this. They were mainly the people living in the Fire Nation colonies.

They walked in silence until they came across a large door as fancy as most of the others, that was when Kita spoke. Her voice was small and timid, "Here we are, Miss." Kita opened the door gracefully, her head never looking up to see Katara.

Katara walked in and felt the eyes of the others on her. The door closed quickly behind her and Katara walked over to where she would be sitting on the right hand side of the Fire Lord, the place where his Fire Lady would one day sit. Sokka sat in front of her, and beside him was Suki. They were both wearing Fire Nation clothes. Sokka's outfit was a similar to the one that Zuko adorned; the only missing piece was the black silk shawl that rested around the handsome king's shoulders, and the crown. Suki's outfit was much like Katara's in style, but Suki's dress was red instead of black and there were no flowers on the ends. She was also wearing a full white sleeveless robe over the dress where Katara wore the mini jacket thing. Suki had left her brown hair down. It had grown quite a bit since they first met on Kyoshi Island, but she never let it pass her shoulders.

Suki smiled at Katara in acknowledgement before turning her attention back to Sokka to carry on a conversation about something. Katara's eyes meandered absently over to the Fire Lord.

He was looking at her. And when he saw her looking he blushed. Katara felt her own body heat up too. This was the man that in the first time seeing each other in three years had kissed her and seen her naked. This was the man that could make a crowd of people become nothing to her in one thoughtful glance. This was the man that she had fallen helplessly in love with.

That's right; Katara was in love with Zuko. And there was no turning back, she realized now.

"You look lovely tonight, Katara." She heard Zuko say softly.

"Thank you. As do you." The tiniest smile played on his full lips, oh how it had felt to kiss them, in reaction to her compliment.

The door at the back of the room swung open and three servants came out carrying platters of food and a tray of tea. They placed the trays in front of the four people and began to serve them quickly. During the onslaught of catering Iroh had sauntered in and sat down lazily next to Katara.

"Why hello my dear." He said in his slightly accented voice.

"Hi Iroh, I didn't know you were here, I haven't seen you since I arrived."

"Yes, yes, are you doing well, Lady Katara? Has your visit been pleasurable so far?" Iroh asked, sipping at his tea.

The slight widening of Zuko's eyes wasn't lost on Katara when she'd turned her head to watch the servant fill the small porcelain bowl with rice. "It has been well." The dark skinned girl smiled at the kindly old man.

"And you Sokka, Suki? How has your visit been so far?"

Sokka looked at Suki and smiled, "Wonderful."

"Fun," Suki laughed, looking at Katara and winking. She turned to Sokka and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "It's been nice."

The servants left the room and every one turned to their food. It was a meal of stick rice, some sort of green vegetable that Katara recalled eating once, and a plate of fish. They usually ate red meat in the Fire Nation, so it was kind of obvious that they had served fish for the Water Tribe occupants, but it was served differently here. Usually in the Water Tribes the fish was left on the bones and the fish head remained, but here they served in square patties, off the bone and perfectly shaped. They were rubbed in some kind of red seasoning and served with Wasabi. All but Katara's any ways. Katara knew Zuko must have told the servants not to put the spices on there because he knew she wasn't fond of spicy fire nation food.

Sokka was the first one to dig in, scooping up the rice and pulling apart the fish with his chopsticks with his regular vigor. Suki laughed at how hastily he ate, as if he hadn't eaten in days, and tasted the fish for herself. Zuko watched Katara tentatively as he took his first bite of rice.

Katara felt her face flush at the feeling of his eyes. How was she supposed eat if he kept looking at her that way.

She picked up her chopsticks and began to pick at the fish. She scooped up the fish and put it in her mouth. It was so soft and tender; it practically melted in her mouth. She then took a bite of her rice. She didn't eat much rice in the Water Tribes and had to say she missed its sticky texture. She preferred Fire Nation's sticky white rice over the Earth Kingdom's brown rice.

The food was delicious and she couldn't help the tiny smile that graced her lips. When she felt the need to drink she sipped on the steaming cup of tea. Jasmine, Iroh's favorite. She looked down at the pale liquid in the porcelain cup, trailing her thumbs along the handpainted rims. Her eyes flickered over all of the people sitting with her in the Fire Lord's private dining room in the Fire Lord's palace in the Fire Lord's country and smiled inwardly, knowing that she had helped make all of this possible. Knowing that if Sokka had not made her angry with his usual sexist banter that the world would probably still be struck with war. She was happy to be here, with these people.

She just wished that Aang and Toph were here too.

Soooo~ what'd you think? I'm going to try to update soon, but if not please bear with me (^-^) I love you all! Please leave me a review! It makes writing easier and it feels so good to know that you lovely creatures are enjoying my work ;)


	10. Chapter 10

Sooooooo,,, im sorry its been taking so long. I got caught up in watchinhg Merlin and reading Fanfiction :'3 And then I had writers block :

BUT HERE I AM :D soo, commence with the story c: DON'T FORGET TO GET IN TOUCH TUMBLR: photophobic-blogger & lizofficialposts TWITTER: itsjoplinyo c':

Chapter 10.

The weeks following Katara's arrival were busy. Hakoda and Aang both arrived hastily, as did Toph and her family. Many other nobles arrived in the weeks. Katara rarely saw Zuko or the rest of the gaang. They were all busy with meetings and talking of deals and the future. Katara was usually stuck hanging out with ladies of nobility, which she did not enjoy. They were all stuffy and stuck up, though in the rare moments when they took a break from idle gossip, she found herself laughing with them. Katara herself rarely shared stories, but the women must feel too tame at times, because they would occasionally ask her about their wartime travels.

She enjoyed telling them about her adventures with Aang and her brother, telling them about when Zuko was the enemy, and then him risking his life for her. The coos were not lost on her.

One noble, a woman from a large Earth Kingdom city, tucked a black tendril back into her ornate white head piece and spoke, "You and the Fire Lord are a good match. He's no longer with Mai, perhaps you should make your move."

"Even if the king was interested in me, I don't think the Fire Nation would want a girl from the Water Tribe on the throne." Katara replied.

A teenage girl, the daughter of a Fire Nation courtier, spoke up, "I wouldn't mind. We've never had a foreigner on the throne, the Fire Nation was always too caught up in its own ego –" her mother touched her daughters arm, telling her to be quiet, but the clearly rebellious teenager spoke again, "to ever allow one. But if you were to be Fire Lady, you could show the world how the nation has changed. Ozai set out to kill all of the waterbenders, if Zuko married their greatest…" Her voice trailed off, having made her point.

Her words made Katara smile, she liked the girl, her spirit reminded her of her own, "What's your name?"

"Aria." She said, before her voice was strong, loud. She'd probably never spoken out, and the fact that her mother had wanted her to stop probably caused more adrenaline to rush through her tiny body. Now her voice was small, having been approached by the woman she apparently wanted to be her queen.

"I like your beliefs, Aria. You're strong-minded." Aria blushed at this, her lips turning up in a smile.

It was then that the door opened. A guard stood there, back straight and his eyes blank as usual. "Dinner is served."

He stepped aside so the ladies could pass. And in a flurry of skirts and clicking heels, they were walking towards the dinner hall.

Katara had grown accustomed to the post-war Fire Nation attire of one piece, form fitting dresses with an A-line skirt, but she always felt like she was going to trip over the silken edge. She never did, but the fear was there none the less. She had to admit, she liked the dresses. They were soft, made of silk which kept cool in the hot days, and looked good. Many of the older women of nobility sat around doing nothing, attending feasts and parties, and the dresses clung to them in all the wrong places, but on Katara it elicited attention from men that Katara did not necessarily want from men that were not Zuko.

She had not seen much of the king since the incident the first day she was back. Every day at dinner she sat on his left side, but they had not had any real conversation for over three weeks. Today, just like any other, she sat beside him as if she were his wife. He smiled at her, taking in her entire face and body with something similar to the lust she had seen in the eyes of other men, but not quite the same, in his clear golden eyes. She smiled back at him. Iroh sat on Zuko's right side. Beside him was Sokka and Suki. Aria and her family were also on that half of the table, as well as the Earth Kingdom woman who had said she and Zuko were a good pair. The woman's husband and two sons were beside her, chattering on with the Water Tribesmen sitting beside her father. Zuko's smile almost fell from his face when Aang squeezed into the chair beside Katara. She couldn't see her, but she could hear Toph discussing metal bending with an Earth Kingdom man on one end of the table.

Katara turned and faced Aang, offering him a small smile. "Good evening."

"Hey, Katara. How was your day?" He asked, a huge, goofy smile plastered on his less boyish face.

She allowed herself to laugh quietly and wink at Aria, "Eye opening."

Aang glanced at Aria and smiled at her, causing the blush that had spread across her face to deepen. Katara smiled widely, "I think she fancies you," she whispered, lifting the glass of wine that had just been poured to her lips. She noticed the very faint blush that tinted Aang's pale face. Maybe if she could get those two together?

Katara turned her attention to Zuko. "How was your day, Milord?" In the company of so much nobility, she had to keep up the formality. Even though they kissed, basically admitting to one another that they did indeed harbor those feelings, they were not anything official.

"Busy. I have talked of more deals in the last month then I hope to ever do again. And hopefully there won't be any need to. If this gala goes as planned, the Fire Nation will be allies with most kingdoms."

"Most?" Katara asked. She didn't really care about the politics, but it was nice to talk to him.

"Yes, there are a few Earth Kingdom cities that do not trust the Fire Nation, not that I blame them." Katara had forgotten that the Earth Kingdom was different then the Fire Nation in the way that, while the Fire Nation had one ruler, the Earth Kingdom had many kings that rule over the many cities, and while the ruler of Ba Sing Se had total control of the nation, if certain kings did not want to be of any aid (or receive it) from the Fire Nation then so be it.

"Ah," she took another sip from her chalice before placing it back in front of her. She began to politely eat from her rice topped with some kind of spicy meat which had, as usual, been thinned of the heavy spice.

She carried on conversation with Suki and Aang most of the night as Zuko talked mostly to Iroh and Sokka, but none the less, she could feel the great king's eyes on her for a majority of the dinner party.


End file.
